Living in a small space can present some unique challenges. Using multifunctional furniture is one way to retain all the room for activities -- and your sanity.
Although single-function furniture is kind of the standard, it’s not always practical. Multifunctional furniture pieces, on the other hand, save space and cash — and DIYing your multi-use furniture can help you save even more money, while keeping your home decor totally unique to you.
(Just make sure you’ve got the essential tools ahead of time.)
Without further ado -- five creative multifunctional furniture ideas, each of which can be DIY’d and customized to fit your style.
Storage Bench
One of the biggest challenges of tiny living is not having enough storage space. A storage bench is a great way to keep things clean and organized — and provide extra seating!
What’s more, these benches are pretty simple to build yourself, and there are myriad ways to customize them to fit your aesthetic.
One easy way to put together a storage bench is by repurposing old crates or other materials, but if you’ve got some woodworking skills you want to put to good use, we love this chic, ever-so-slightly rustic option from Addicted 2 DIY or this versatile design from Paul Tran DIY.
Convertible Table
Yessssssss, the convertible table. If surface area is a challenge in your living space, the convertible table will be your new best friend. It can be a side table, dining table, desk (perfect for those WFH vibes)…the options are endless!
Convertible tables feature extra panels that either fold down or detach when they aren’t in use. You can also opt to put your table on wheels so you can move it anywhere in your living space!
While there are many different ways to DIY a convertible table, we like this versatile option from Family Handyman.
Mirror Shelf
Adding mirrors will open up any space, due to the way they reflect light — but when you live in a small space, you need your mirrors to do M O R E.
Combining mirrors and shelves is a great way to visually expand your living area, while capitalizing on oft-underutilized vertical space for storage. Plus, it’s just damn stylish.
New to woodworking and want to expand your skills? Check out this DIY mirror shelf from Paper & Stitch, which was originally intended for use as a bathroom organizer but could easily be customized for any room in the house!
Bookshelf Desk
Bookshelves are functional on their own, sure, but they can also take up a lot of space (often even more than your books would all on their own!) — making them somewhat of a l u x u r y for rinkadink residence-dwellers.
But what if your bookshelf could pull double- (or even triple-) duty? If you’re a work-from-home-er or a compulsive crafter, you’re going to need a workspace. A bookshelf-desk combo allows you to nest your reads up and out of the way while you get busy below. Bonus points: if you’re not a total bookworm and your shelves have space to spare, you can use it to store work supplies, trinkets, and more!
Want to DIY your studious situation? Here’s a super versatile configuration.
Sofa Bed
Sofa beds are iconic small apartment decor fare. They can quickly turn any living area into a guest room. (Or…you know…your bedroom.) Problem is, you’re going to pay a pretty penny for anything even remotely comfortable.
Here we come to save the day! Many people don’t realize that they can DIY a cute and comfortable sofa bed on their own with the right tools and a little know-how! This is an intermediate to advanced DIY project that’s worth the time and TLC.
Multifunctional furniture pieces are a great way to maximize the space you have, and DIYing these pieces gives you the opportunity to customize them to your unique style and can even save you money.
